Qualcomm is about to launch satellite connectivity, which is expected to be universal!

In September 2022, Apple and Huawei launched new models at the same time. The new mobile phones also bring many new functions to users, including very practical satellite communication functions. When users use their mobile phones, they connect to satellites to make non network calls. Recently, it was announced that Qualcomm is about to launch satellite connection functions, which means that satellite communication functions will be widely available to all. Come and see the specific news!

Qualcomm today announced that it plans to introduce satellite based connectivity into the next generation of Android smartphones, providing smart phone manufacturers such as Samsung and Google with a way to connect with Apple and iPhone; The 14 model is launched together with the satellite emergency SOS function competition method.

Specific messages

Snapdragon Satellite is a satellite based two-way messaging solution provided by Iridium, a satellite company. Qualcomm said that support for messaging using satellite connectivity will be built into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform, and smartphones using this technology will be launched in the second half of 2023.

Qualcomm said that the Snapdragon satellite function will first be used for emergency messages, similar to the emergency SOS function provided by Apple through satellites, which is provided through cooperation with Globalstar. Qualcomm also mentioned that SMS and connectivity in remote, rural and maritime areas are possible use cases of Snapdragon, which indicates that it may not be limited to emergency use in the future.

Although the Snapdragon satellite will first be launched on smartphones, Qualcomm said that it can also be used for laptops, tablets, vehicles and Internet of Things devices. OEM and application developers can distinguish and provide unique brand services using satellite connectivity.

The Snapdragon satellite will use the Iridium satellite constellation, which uses the L-band spectrum. Iridium said that it is "more weather resistant" than the frequency used by other networks. Android smartphones using Snapdragon satellites still need a clear sky view to run, and can send messages in just 10 seconds through a stable connection.

In addition to cooperating with Iridium, Qualcomm also plans to cooperate with Garmin to provide emergency response services for users. At present, there is no information about how Iridium, Qualcomm and Android smartphone manufacturers plan to charge customers for satellite access.

The satellite connection function launched by Qualcomm has not been confirmed yet, but it is likely to be officially launched this year. The supported models will be able to use this function at that time. If you are interested, you can continue to wait for new models to be launched this year.